Game 29: Dallas Mavericks (17-12) @ Phoenix Suns (14-14) | Monday | 8:30 PM

[sunsbum]

I don’t think enough people realize how completely fcked the Suns are for the future in terms of flexibility, salary cap, draft picks etc.

I’m gonna say one thing here that im sure most of yall will disagree with; Robert Sarver was a better Suns owner than Matt Ishbia. Yes, I can confidently say that even with all the mistakes Sarver made in 20+ years as owner while Ishbia only been here 8/9 months. I don’t say this as someone who liked Sarver at all, but Ishbia is just that much worse imo.

There’s not one single trade that Sarver did whether it’s selling 2 first rd picks for cash, the Marion trade, or moves like letting JJ walk or Amare walk or even signings like Turkoglu/Warrick/Childress etc that comes even close to how horrific both the KD and Beal trades are.

We traded away 2 players in Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges who may be career role players but will continue to get better every year and both will be in the NBA for probably the next 12-15 years.

We traded that plus an insane amount of 1st rd picks for two players who will be retired from the NBA in just 5 years.

Plus the ignorance to trade a PG that has always made players around them better in CP3 for an insanely injury prone SG giving up even more salary cap flexibility and picks.

Matt Ishbia absolutely fcking blows. I don’t care how rich he is, he tried a “get rich quick” scheme which maybe works in the slimey mortgage industry that he’s in but doesn’t work in real life.

And please don’t say BS like “Oh hindsight is 20/20 the KD trade is one everyone would make”. Yall can go check the KD trade thread. Many, MANY, of us here thought it was stupid and a massive mistake to give up that many.

Robert Sarver told the Nets it would either be Mikal/Cam alone or just the picks plus cap fillers alone. Ishbia came in and decided to give up both. Absolute idiot.

Merry Christmas yall.

no we understand.

[MrDollarBills]

Do Booker and Durant care? I'm seriously asking because it sure doesn't seem like it on the court. There in lies the problem and my main concern with this team. Not a playoff team on Christmas but we're expecting to be a contender in May? I don't see it

I thought Booker was just bad while KD looked like he quit. Maybe I saw it differently than everyone else.

Durant did the same thing in Brooklyn when the Nets got swept in Round 1 by the Celtics. He flat out quit and then demanded a trade.

[garrick]

Do Booker and Durant care? I'm seriously asking because it sure doesn't seem like it on the court. There in lies the problem and my main concern with this team. Not a playoff team on Christmas but we're expecting to be a contender in May? I don't see it

I thought Booker was just bad while KD looked like he quit. Maybe I saw it differently than everyone else.

Durant did the same thing in Brooklyn when the Nets got swept in Round 1 by the Celtics. He flat out quit and then demanded a trade.

The Nets fleeced us bad. Nets look like an 8th seed or play in team but at least you have 5 picks you can use to try to get an additional missing piece.

KD his maturity level is just bad and he's just as bad as Harden in terms of leadership or lack thereof.

[sunsbum]

I’m ready for 10 game winning streak so the cockroaches that come out at night can scatter for a bit even if it’s beating the spurs…wait, blazers, wait … Wizards!! Ten games in a row. Ugh.

[sunsbg]

I still expect with Beal and Nurk back, some injury luck, opportunity to build chemistry, this team to look good. Probably not contender level good though.

[Jstock12]

There's some poetic irony in Doncic dropping 50 and hitting 10k point mark against none other but the Suns

[Saberestar]

50 for Doncic.

Ayton or Doncic? LOL

The question in 2023/24 is Booker + Durant for Doncic. Mavs will laugh indeed.

That’s true lol.

[Puff]

We did it again and remain the worst 4th quarter scoring team in the NBA

We score an average of 24.7 points in the 4th quarter.

We scored 22 points tonight to make us even worse.

We again were up by 1 point going into the 4th and we were blitzed 37 to 22 in the 4th quarter for a 14 point loss.

As much as I hated the KD trade and Beal trade, I cannot believe this is happening to us virtually every game. I do not have facts to give but it seems like we have been ahead in virtually every game so far this year but have lost a vast majority of them. No matter what the supporting class is Booker and KD should be enough to win most 4th quarters.

1. Is it the coaching?
2. Is it that they just do not like each other. We seldom see smiles and enthusiasm with this team even in victory.
3. Is it just because just because we do not have a point guard. I think we need one, but it is more than that.

It is just not fun to watch this team. You know what's coming, no matter how well they play for 3 quarters. We have seem the same movie far too many times this year.

[Sunlight]

This starting lineup wouldn't have lost twice in a row at home to tank Spurs and would currently be in the top three in the West. And if things did go wrong, there would at least be future draft picks.

CP3, Bridges, CamJ, Durant, Ayton.

Read on Twitter

[Calvin Klein]

Another beauty from this joke of a team.

Another reminder from Luka that not picking him is the Suns' biggest mistake of their history. He should keep doing that every time because this franchise deserves it.

[Calvin Klein]

Always sucks when something you love is over.

So many obviously stupid decisions
Ayton over Luka
Passing on Halliburton who fell right into our lap
Trading the soul of team in Mikal/Johnson and all our picks for aging KD
Hell even the Payne for Bol Bol deal.

Not just the end of this season, end of this team for 10-15 years

[Son of Ra]

50 for Doncic.

Ayton or Doncic? LOL

The question in 2023/24 is Booker + Durant for Doncic. Mavs will laugh indeed.

And the hypothetical, ironical question is Booker + Durant + Ayton. Mavs would still laugh indeed.

[sasquatchBob]

Always sucks when something you love is over.

So many obviously stupid decisions
Ayton over Luka
Passing on Halliburton who fell right into our lap
Trading the soul of team in Mikal/Johnson and all our picks for aging KD
Hell even the Payne for Bol Bol deal.

Not just the end of this season, end of this team for 10-15 years

[sunsbg]

50 for Doncic.

Ayton or Doncic? LOL

The question in 2023/24 is Booker + Durant for Doncic. Mavs will laugh indeed.

And the hypothetical, ironical question is Booker + Durant + Ayton. Mavs would still laugh indeed.

Yep. Add 4-5 picks and pick swaps which FO will send even if not required anyway.

Summary in 10s of Booker and Durant vs Doncic in this game.

https://youtu.be/99CRQ9iZCjM?t=66

100M superstars blowing a 2 on 1 fast break and coaching staff that unlike others won't take advantage of a team missing any kind of rim protection. (check Mavs roster during next few plays in the video).

Azubuike 7-7, +3 in last two games played only 4 mins. Eubanks 2-6, -37 in those games. At least Lively was only 20/10 and not 38 like another rookie earlier in the season.

[Saberestar]

The question in 2023/24 is Booker + Durant for Doncic. Mavs will laugh indeed.

And the hypothetical, ironical question is Booker + Durant + Ayton. Mavs would still laugh indeed.

Yep. Add 4-5 picks and pick swaps which FO will send even if not required anyway.

Summary in 10s of Booker and Durant vs Doncic in this game.

https://youtu.be/99CRQ9iZCjM?t=66

100M superstars blowing a 2 on 1 fast break and coaching staff that unlike others won't take advantage of a team missing any kind of rim protection. (check Mavs roster during next few plays in the video)

It was so sad to watch how EASILY Doncic can manage double teams and always find the open man to create a huge advantage.

Book was playing really well at the start of the season (when healthy) but teams have figured out how to stop him as a PG and he has played TERRIBLE basketball in the last few games.

KD has always been more a finisher than a facilitator, so it's not strange to watch him to lose the ball badly trying to create for others. This game was the first one where he didn't play hard and looked disinterested FOR REAL.

Obviously now I am concerned about the project because it's looking worse and worse with every game. It was fine until the Nets game at home, that game was the first one where we didn't look good enough IMO.

Our record was pretty solid (taking into account injuries) until that game but after that one we are 1W-5L.

Again...we can be really good yet. Nurkic is a big part of this team and he will be back for the next game. Beal is close...probably not available for the next one yet, but he is close.

I know that sometimes it's not easy but let's stay positive guys! It's the sport and the team that we love.

[garrick]

The question in 2023/24 is Booker + Durant for Doncic. Mavs will laugh indeed.

And the hypothetical, ironical question is Booker + Durant + Ayton. Mavs would still laugh indeed.

Yep. Add 4-5 picks and pick swaps which FO will send even if not required anyway.

Summary in 10s of Booker and Durant vs Doncic in this game.

https://youtu.be/99CRQ9iZCjM?t=66

100M superstars blowing a 2 on 1 fast break and coaching staff that unlike others won't take advantage of a team missing any kind of rim protection. (check Mavs roster during next few plays in the video).

Azubuike 7-7, +3 in last two games played only 4 mins. Eubanks 2-6, -37 in those games. At least Lively was only 20/10 and not 38 like another rookie earlier in the season.

I just don't understand why KD is playing so passive and passing out when he should be the one finishing those kind of plays.

Hopefully he isn't pulling a Kobe and refusing to finish shots because EG complained about not getting the ball enough.

The whole roster and the coaching staff is just so awful it's like someone got the most ill fitting teammates and coaching staff as some sort of cruel joke. I don't think I've ever been as embarrassed to be a Suns fan as I am right now.

[SunsRback4Good]

And the hypothetical, ironical question is Booker + Durant + Ayton. Mavs would still laugh indeed.

Yep. Add 4-5 picks and pick swaps which FO will send even if not required anyway.

Summary in 10s of Booker and Durant vs Doncic in this game.

https://youtu.be/99CRQ9iZCjM?t=66

100M superstars blowing a 2 on 1 fast break and coaching staff that unlike others won't take advantage of a team missing any kind of rim protection. (check Mavs roster during next few plays in the video).

Azubuike 7-7, +3 in last two games played only 4 mins. Eubanks 2-6, -37 in those games. At least Lively was only 20/10 and not 38 like another rookie earlier in the season.

I just don't understand why KD is playing so passive and passing out when he should be the one finishing those kind of plays.

Hopefully he isn't pulling a Kobe and refusing to finish shots because EG complained about not getting the ball enough.

The whole roster and the coaching staff is just so awful it's like someone got the most ill fitting teammates and coaching staff as some sort of cruel joke. I don't think I've ever been as embarrassed to be a Suns fan as I am right now.

I wish that I was never born or if I was maybe in San Antonio to be a huge spurs fan and never deal rooting for the Suns. Hehe

[enigmatics]

I still expect with Beal and Nurk back, some injury luck, opportunity to build chemistry, this team to look good. Probably not contender level good though.

Ya, this isn't the final iteration of the team this year - which some guys still don't understand. Albeit I get the frustration because clearly I am too. But in Year 1 of THIS version of the Suns there's little chance of becoming what was presented to us and also pushed by the media. At best you're talking a play-in up to the 6th seed (only 3 games separate that right now and the West is rough).

Man something really snapped when Beal went down again. I know it wasn't perfect by any means before that, but it's like the team went into the tank.

[enigmatics]

It was so sad to watch how EASILY Doncic can manage double teams and always find the open man to create a huge advantage.

Book was playing really well at the start of the season (when healthy) but teams have figured out how to stop him as a PG and he has played TERRIBLE basketball in the last few games.

KD has always been more a finisher than a facilitator, so it's not strange to watch him to lose the ball badly trying to create for others. This game was the first one where he didn't play hard and looked disinterested FOR REAL.

Obviously now I am concerned about the project because it's looking worse and worse with every game. It was fine until the Nets game at home, that game was the first one where we didn't look good enough IMO.

Our record was pretty solid (taking into account injuries) until that game but after that one we are 1W-5L.

Again...we can be really good yet. Nurkic is a big part of this team and he will be back for the next game. Beal is close...probably not available for the next one yet, but he is close.

I know that sometimes it's not easy but let's stay positive guys! It's the sport and the team that we love.

Man I'd hate to be Beal if he doesn't come back and play with is hair on fire.

[Revived]

Azubuike needs to be the primary backup C when Nurkic returns. Bol Bol and Eubanks both suck.